The last citywide survey was completed in 1979. Unlike the current effort, the 1979 survey was a “windshield” survey that identified buildings that appeared to have architectural significance but the surveyors did not have the tools to conduct additional historical research to evaluate the significance of the properties. Beginning with the survey and inventory of City-owned properties in 2000, professional architectural historians and volunteers have surveyed and inventoried more than 5000 properties that are included in the database are now available to the public.

For people who care about preserving Seattle’s historic fabric, the State Supreme Court decision against the University of Washington is a phenomenal victory. The university can no longer disregard city laws when it comes to the historic fabric of its campuses. Eugenia Woo, the Preservation Advocate at Historic Seattle, one of the parties that sued the university, has written a helpful article explaining the decision. You can read it here.